Food of Royalty is low in Calories
and easy to prepare
Should I ever be elevated to the esteemed position
of poet Laureate do not crown me with laurel leaves, crown me
with ASPARAGUS! Tender young shoots smothered in rich hollandaise
sauce, I can make a whole meal of this alone.
Asparagus has a long history. It was originally grown by the
ancient Egyptians and of course cultivated by the Romans. Juvenal
is said to have dined on a wild variety. Asparagus eventually
became popular in France, during the reign of Louis the XIV, the
sun King.
Asparagus has only 25 calories in 4 ounces, and is very high
in vitamin A and C. Asparagus comes in three colors, the popular
green, a rich purple, and a blanched white. Try them all, but
always include some hollandaise on the side.
Asparagus is easy to cook. Gently steam or boil it for approximately
15 minutes over medium high heat. Most cookbooks will tell you
to cook it for 20 to 30 minutes, but this will leave you with
mushy asparagus.
The origins of hollandaise sauce is obscured by time and to little
research into food history! Hollandaise is an emulsion sauce which
is thought to have been a fairly recent addition to the culinary
arts, but Anne Marie Rousseau, a friend who is doing research
on the 17th century French cookbook La Varenne, has uncovered
a recipe that is very close to modern hollandaise. The only difference
being the use of vinegar instead of lemon juice for the souring
agent. The following recipe is for a very quick, extremely easy,
NO-FAIL hollandaise sauce. I like to put it on just about anything
and often eat it straight from the blender!
Easy Hollandaise Sauce
3 egg yolks
a pinch cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup butter, melted and hot
Note: If you are allergic to raw, or almost raw egg, avoid this
recipe. The hot butter is not really cooking the eggs just binding
them with the other ingredients.
Place the egg yolks, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice in a blender
and with the lid on tight, but the middle of the lid removed blend
on high. Make sure the butter is very hot, but has not browned,
and very slowly drizzle it into the egg mixture. Continue to blend
until all the butter has been incorporated and the mixture is
a thick sauce. Makes approximately one cup of sauce. This is also
good on poached eggs and ham.
If you are not partial to hollandaise sauce, but crave an elegant
way to serve asparagus try this recipe. You can use almost any
cheese, but the saltiness of the parmesan brings out the natural
flavor of the asparagus.
Asparagus au Gratin
1 bunch asparagus, steamed
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Pre-heat oven to the highest broil setting.
In a flat oven proof dish arrange the asparagus in a fan shape.
Distribute the butter evenly throughout the dish and sprinkle
the parmesan over top of all. Broil for 5 to 8 minutes or until
cheese is melted. Serve hot. Serves 6.
This taste combination is not one you would think of putting
together, but it is surprisingly refreshing.
Asparagus, Oranges, and Walnut Salad
1 bunch asparagus
1 cup walnuts
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
1/8 cup sesame oil
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange peel
Chop the asparagus into bite size pieces and boil for 15 minutes.
Once cooked drain immediately and run under cold water to halt
the cooking process. Place the asparagus in a large bowl and combine
with other ingredients.
Marinate the salad for 2 hours in the fridge tossing occasionally
to mix the ingredients. Serve cold. Serves 8.
Now is the season to gorge yourself on fresh local asparagus.
Go get some quick, before I buy it all up.
Food is life. May the plenty that graces your table truly be
a Vast Repast.
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